The Evolution Of Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can be devastating for you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an appeal to receive compensation for the expenses of taking care of your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and it is essential to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor could be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition could be the result of a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This could lead to a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is a swelling on the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to look over your case and determine the most appropriate way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents identify the root of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from birth defects or genetics. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a profound effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet the standards of care required, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers associated with their medicines. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help families receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury and also loss of earnings and quality of life. This can include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they affect the healthy development a the fetus via chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are found in many different environments, including metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been found to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family believes that the birth defect of their child could be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the environment They could cause serious birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers also increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a myriad of birth defects as a result of unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits typically require complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.